The Israeli military on Monday ordered tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Rafah to evacuate, a move indicating Israel’s offensive on Gaza’s southmost area could be imminent.
The Israeli military on Monday ordered tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Rafah to evacuate, a move indicating Israel’s offensive on Gaza’s southmost area could be imminent.
People in Rafah were told to leave for an « expanded humanitarian area » in al-Mawasi and Khan Younis, areas north and northwest of the city. Israel’s military sent out text and voice messages, and posted maps on social media with arrows instructing people where to flee.
Israel’s move comes after the latest round of negotiations for a cease-fire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas appeared to remain stuck on key issues of concern. CIA director, William Burns, reportedly took part in the Cairo talks over the weekend.
On Sunday, as a Hamas delegation was still in Egypt hammering out the deal being offered by Israel, Israel’s government announced the closure of the Qatar-based Al Jazeera news network in Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also issued a statement saying it was Hamas that blocked a deal to release hostages, saying he gave Israel’s negotiating team a very broad mandate although no Israeli negotiators were sent to Cairo over the weekend.
« We are not ready to accept a situation in which the Hamas battalions come out of their bunkers, take control of Gaza again, rebuild their military infrastructure, and return to threatening the citizens of Israel, » he said, refusing a deal that demands Israeli troop withdrawal and an end to the war.
